Last month I was fortunate enough to get feedback from my peers and professors at UFL regarding my research interests. I shared a problem in my context – I teach AP Computer Science Principles to high school students in suburban NJ, however the tools that we use aren’t relevant to students outside of class. While some students may choose to continue studying CS after taking the course, it is possible that AP CSP course is the only computer science course a student ever takes. I want to make sure that students leave the class with the confidence and skills to program, analyze data, and use all the problem solving skills we have learned in a different context. I plan to build lessons so that students can effectively use their CS skills within the Google products that they have at their fingertips (Sheets, Forms, etc. ). I’m interested to see how easily they transfer their programming knowledge in building Google Apps Script based solutions. Are my students more motivated and engaged? Can they find ways to make this relevant to their interests or work in other subjects?
As I reflect on the feedback that I received, I recognize that more honing is needed! I need to narrow my scope — starting with how do I design and develop the learning materials to enhance the learning outcome? I’m excited to get started, but first I need to do more research!